Barossa Shiraz redux. Big. Rich. Bold. Delicious. all distinguishing features of this new generation before embarking on his solo of winemaker. endeavors. His silky-textured, spice-dusted Shiraz has Young gun Fraser McKinley, with his Barossa Shiraz strikes out with a daringly a near indelible image. wonderful, idiosyncratic Sami-Odi , farms different personality, finding fragrant perfume, the Hoffman-Dallwitz that dates back succulent tannin and brightness of fruit. What drinkers in the US are discovering to 1912. Sami-Odi is one of the Barossa’s most Indeed, the Barossa Valley Shiraz spectrum is is that Barossa Shiraz, that ubiquitous grape exciting, artisan projects, focusing on a single shifting. One only has to consider the increasing and regional combination, is actually way vineyard, with minimal intervention winemaking interest and adherence in biodynamic farming, more diverse. Strikingly so. key in the make-up of his bright, wild-edged, which established producers like Kalleske, as Barossa Shiraz may have established a yet flavorsome wines. The range is cemented by an example, alongside more experimental reputation on perfectly balanced, booming ‘Little Wine’, a quixotic, delicious, multi-vintage wines from Wayne Ahrens’ fascinating Small styles that talk of concentration, full flavor Shiraz, carefully blended each year. Fry biodynamic in Eden and Barossa and ripe fruit. However, alongside these, there’s Abel Gibson comes from a family of Barossa Valley. There’s more than meets the eye. a new generation of Barossa Shiraz devotees winemaking royalty. His father, Rob Gibson, While we’re all comfortable and proud of who are creating thrilling wines with diversity, creates iconic wines of heft and power. Abel, the bulging, muscular Shiraz that the Barossa a deft touch and approachability in youth. now living on an 80-year-old vineyard of bush has hung its hat on for eternity, there’s a This new wave of wine producer reveres the vines in the upper reaches of the cooler Eden renaissance at hand. What we’re seeing historical backdrop of Barossa Valley Shiraz Valley, produces wines at the opposite end of come from the Barossa Valley is an optimum styles, but works with lower alcohols, light-to- the spectrum. Juiciness, freshness, and silky possibility; a diversity of Shiraz where wines medium weight, spice and savoriness in mind. texture are calling cards, and wines are made are of greater elegance, finer flavors, reveal The quality is all there, the character different. with little or no influence, picked at modest an uncharacteristic flex of subtlety for which A reverence for ancient vineyards, a flair for ripeness to avoid higher alcohol. the Barossa is not usually known. It’s time to discovering tracts of underutilized vines and Tim Smith worked at traditional Barossa unearth these thrilling wines. a gentler hand in winemaking application are stalwarts Chateau Tanunda and St Hallett words: mike bennie

Fraser McKinley of Sami-Odi Ruggabellus Rockford Wines

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